The wild card and reserves for the forthcoming 2009 FIM Dansk Metal Danish Speedway Grand Prix at PARKEN Stadium, Copenhagen, on Saturday 13 June has been announced.

Denmark’s Niels Kristian Iversen returns to the world championship FIM Speedway Grand Prix series (SGP) wearing the no.16 wild card race jacket, with 20 year olds Patrick Hougaard and Nikolai Klindt taking the no. 17 and no. 18 track reserve positions respectively.

Iversen (27), who just missed out on qualification for the 2009 series and previously rode in the 2008 and 2005 series’ as a permanent rider, was the top non-Grand Prix rider in the recent Danish Championship behind Nicki Pedersen, Kenneth Bjerre and Hans Andersen.  

A delighted Iversen said: “I can’t say I expected to receive the wild card, but when I look at this year’s results I don’t see any other Danes who could have got the wild card. I still need my final break through which will make me grow and give me the necessary self confidence to win important meetings. My weakness last year was on a mental level not physical. Everything around me works well so it is up to myself now.”

Hougaard and Klindt were both track reserves at PARKEN last year and are two of the many talented young riders making their way into the top echelons of the sport